Many articles later, the most popular Moose caliber I observe is the venerable, time tested 30-06 Springfield with 180 grain bullets on your average Moose for your average Moose hunter. Moose have been cleanly killed with cartridges of lesser energy but those kills were best taken broadside such as the 308 Win, .270 Win and 7mm-08 and 6.5 Creedmoor are most common. Of course the Swede’s love the 6.5 – 55 Swedish Mauser but we aren’t in Sweden. We are in North America East in Newfoundland, Canada.

If you you-tube for bull moose kills with rifle, you will often see multiple shots taken and hits to the lung area too. Moose are hard to fall where the shot was taken.

Shot Placement – Top of Heart center Lungs as shown.

It is essential to shoot as accurately as possible. It is shot placement that kills Moose when coupled with adequate penetration and energy. Bullet construction should be such that when the bullet mushrooms and expands that it stays together as it penetrates. Bonded, Partition and All Copper style bullets are recommended. I am a fan of Nosler Bullets such as the E-Tip Solid Gilding Copper, AccuBond and Partition.

Bullet Energy – If you follow some Fish and Game recommendations used to be around 2500 ft lbs (recommended). I assumed delivered energy. Now some F & G officials suggest 2200 to 2500 ft-lbs of energy at the muzzle however I believe this is very misleading as the shooter should know his energy limits when the bullet strikes the moose at longer ranges. In the case of elk, terminal energy is recommended at 1500 ft -lbs. Moose should be more like 1800-2000 ft lbs delivered or better with velocities around 2000fps.

The 30-06 is not ideal for the largest of Moose in all situations, particularly quartering away. Shoot a cartridge that gives you the most options. If you can handle larger calibers and recoil such as the 300 Win Mag or larger then you shot options increase dramatically. Do you have to? Of course not, you may have to wait to get closer or change the shot angle. A 30-06 180 grain bullet with a Muzzle velocity of 2600 fps delivers around 2000 ft-lbs at 200 yards. So that would be a suggested max range. 

My hunt outfitter says shots are 40 to 300 yards. At 300 yards a 180 grain 30-06 delivers around 1700 ft-lbs. A 300 win mag will deliver over 2000 ft lbs at that range.

Of course if you cant handle the recoil of big magnum rifles  and cant shoot them accurately, then don’t shoot them! Note: There are many recoil pads on the market today to cut recoil in half. So before shooting these heavy recoil rifles always do some homework on recoil management. You will be glad you did!!! Pachmayr makes the Decelerator™ one of my favorites for heavy recoil.

The 7mm Rem Mag and 7mm STW, 7mm Wby Mag 7mm RUM are great on the largest of 300 yard Bull Moose as is the The 28 Nosler (.284) which spits a 175 grain out at 3100 fps and can hit the 2500 ft-lb delivered energy at 450 yards. Wow!

The 8mm Rem Magnum with 180 grain bullets can reach to 300 yards near to 2500 ft-lbs delivered enegy. Nice!

Many 338 Mags below can throw a 225g bullet to 400 yards near 2500 ft-lbs. I shot the .338 Win Mag in Africa; 338 Win Mag, 340 Weatherby Mag, 338 Rem Ultra Mag, 338 Lapua Mag, 33 Nosler or the 338-378 Weatherby Mag all do a great job.

The .358’s such as the 350 Win Mag, 358  Norma Mag, and 358 STA -Shooting Times Alaska  all do that!  The 358 STA shoots a 225 grain bullet at 3000 fps out to 375 yards at just around 2500 ft-lbs.

My .375 Ruger or a .375 H&H hurles a 260 to 300 grain bullet to 300 yards with 2500 ft-lbs and the 300 grain bullet does so with a sectional density of .299 that rates highest in penetration. The .375 Ruger and .375 H&H are geared for Cape Buffalo or 1200 plus lb Bull Moose or a 2000 lb Bison. Alaskan Guides like the .375’s around Brown bear too.

My Newfoundland bull fell after the first shot with my 375 Ruger with 300 grain Nosler AccuBonds in less than 10 seconds. It was a quartering toward shot smashing the front shoulder, fully mushrooming, wrecking the lungs and piled up on the skin on the far side while still maintaining 80% of its weight. Note: I shot him in a snow squall in near whiteout conditions in a 20 mph wind in my face at 100 yards (wind chill below zero) .  His rack was small but a big body! I decide to take him as I did not want to hunt a full week in these conditions. My friend Oliver, on the left,( just turned 80 years old before the hunt) took a cow at 200 yards with his 7mm Rem  Mag. the next day. He too was not willing to hunt longer than he had to in these conditions.

The 45-70 does not meet the 300 yard criteria but a great close Moose killer for years.

The off-the-rounds in the .400 class are often designed strictly for dangerous African game and can be used on big Moose but are not necessary. Of course if you hand load then you can load the 458 Win Mag down to equal the 45-70. It is the same caliber. It’s your hunt! Have Fun!

Good Hunting!

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